Cable connector



Nov. 1.3, 1962 D. R. KNOWLTON 3,064,228

CABLE CONNECTOR Filed July 27, 1960 ln'veniov David R. Kuowliow,

3,064,228 Patented Nov. 13, 1962 ice 3,064,228 CABLE CONNECTOR David R. Knowlton, Beverly, Mass, assignor to United- Carr Fastener Corporation, Cambridge, Mass, a corporation of Delaware Filed July 27, 196i), Ser. No. 45,713 1 Claim. (51. 339100) This invention relates generally to connectors and more specifically to connectors for connecting ignition cables to distributor heads and magnetos on automobile and other internal combustion engine systems.

The newer cars are using ignition cables which have as their conductive means a carbon, such as graphite, impregnated thread, to cut down on radio interference. The thread requires a greater area of contact than .a wire of equal conductivity and, of course, it is much more diflicult to make a firm contact along the thread than a wire.

The methods used to make the connection, prior to applicants invention, were for the most part cumbersome, consisting 'of at least two parts and the engagement between the impregnated thread (and the connector was not entirely satisfactory. The applicants device is a one piece connector having a connector pin so constructed and positioned as to assume maximum conductive efiiciency.

An object of the present invention is to provide a cable connector having a concave connector pin for engagement with a radio resist wire or the like.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a self-aligning cable connector providing a connector for lying on the same plane and in right angle relationship to an arm connecting and connector pin and a sleeve element.

Other objects of the invention will, in part, be obvious, and will, in part, appear hereinafter In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the cable connector;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the cable connector shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the cable connector shown in FIG 1;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the cable connector shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is 'a top plan view of the cable connector assembled to a cable; and

FIG. 7 is a section taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a cable connector 10 having a tubular split sleeve element 12, an arm 14, a connector pin 16 and a spring tab !18. The said tubular split sleeve 12 is open at both its terminal ends and has an arcuate bight portion 20, a pair of tenninal tag elements 22 adjacent one of said open terminal ends of said sleeve in integral relationship with said bight portion and in spaced relationship with each other as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6. A second pair of tag elements 24 lie on the same plane as said terminal tag elements 22, in spaced relation therewith, and in spaced relation with each other; and a pair of wing elements 26 adjacent the opposite terminal end of said sleeve 12 in spaced relation to said tag elements 24 and in spaced parallel relationship to each other. Each of said wing elements 26 and said tag elements 24 are in integral relationship with the bight portion 20.

The arm 14 is formed in integral relationship with the portion of one of said terminal tag elements 22 adjacent the proper terminal end of said sleeve 12, said arm 14 lies on the same plane as the axis of said sleeve 12 and extends radially into the area encompassed by said sleeve 12.

The connector pin 16 is integral with the free end of the arm 14 and extends along the axis of the sleeve 12. Said connector pin 16 forms a comparatively long wedge shape, whose free end 28 is capable of piercing certain materials as will be hereinafter more fully set forth. The edges of said connector pin 16 are turned up to form an :arcuate groove which merges into the said free end 28. The said connector pin 16 is completely circumscribed in spaced relation by said sleeve 12, although the connector pin 16 may be extended beyond the open end of said sleeve 12 in either direction along its axis.

The spring tab 18 is sheared from the larcuate bight portion 21} as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 so as to have a protuberance having a free end as illustrated in FIG. 7.

The cables 30 with which the connector is to be as sembled comprises an outer covering of some type of insulating material such :as rubber or plastic materials and an inner conductive means such as a thread impregnated with a carbon, for example, graphite. This particular type of cable is known .as radio resist cable or Hi-Q cable. To engage the connector 10 with the cable 30, the free end 28 of the connector pin 16 is driven down along the axis of the conductive means of the cable 30 until a terminal end of the cable abuts the lower edge of the arm 14. In this position a portion of the terminal tag elements 22 circumscribes a portion of the outer surface of the cable 30. The tag elements 24 also circumscribe a portion of the external surface of said cable 30 and the wing elements 26 :are in substantially right angle relationship with the axis of the cable 30. The engagement of the connector 10 with the cable 30 is completed when the tag elements 24 are compressed toward the axis of the cable 30 making a biting engagement with the external surface of said cable 30 and the wing elements 26 are bent toward each other and then downward toward the axis of the cable 30. The free end of the spring tab 18 also makes frictional engagement with the external surface of the cable 30 all of which contacts result in a comparatively immovable engagement between the connector 10 and the cable 30. Obviously the arm -14 may be made in a length which will align the connector pin 16 with the conductive means contained within the cable. Furthermore, the inner diameter of the connector 10 will be equal to or slightly larger than the outer diameter of said cable 30. The applicants connector can be used with all types of insulated cable and will result in an excellent connection.

Since certain other obvious modifications may be made in this device without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that vall matters contained herein be interpreted in an illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

A one-piece electrical connector for an electric cable, or the like, comprising a sleeve, an arm, and a connector pin, said sleeve having edges extending longitudinally relative thereto, said arm having one end in integral relationship with one of the said sleeve edges and extending inwardly therefrom toward the center of the sleeve and lying in a plane generally radial to the axis of the sleeve, and said connector pin secured to an edge of said arm within the sleeve and extending in the plane of said am and along the axis of said sleeve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,753,627 Schwarzmann et a1. Apr. 8, 1930 2,476,429 Paules July 19, 1949 2,719,278 Kernen et al Sept. 27, 1955 

